The invention relates to flushing valves for use in toilets and, more particularly, to an improved flushing valve design that can be closed after a partial flush, thus saving water.
Water is a precious commodity that must be conserved and utilized wisely. However, water is often wasted needlessly.
Toilets are designed to remove waste through a discharge of water from a holding tank. By rotating and releasing the flush handle, all the water in the holding tank is flushed through the toilet. Often, the amount of water discharged out of the holding tank exceeds the volume necessary to remove waste. Combined with the frequency of use, this excess water can become a substantial amount.
Numerous methods have been advanced to reduce the amount of water used needlessly in toilets. In particular, the use of weighted and/or float assisted flushing valves is known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,226, issued Nov. 25, 1975, in the name of Warren E. Macdonald, shows a float cup that prematurely closes a vertical flush valve by settling upon the valve before all the water in the holding tank has been discharged. U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,263, issued Jan. 23, 1979, in the name of John K. Anderson, shows a complex float chamber apparatus which lowers itself onto a vertical flush valve and by a predetermined controlled leakage of air from the float chamber, forces the valve to close prematurely.
Not only do these designs operate primarily with the vertical flush valve rather than the more common flapper valve, but they also involve a difficult and complex retrofit of the existing valve. To the contrary, the present invention can be used with both the vertical and flapper valve configurations, is easy and practical to install, and is adjustable to control the volume of water "saved."